The British Divisions of 1914-1918

Click on the Division for details of its history and its order of battle.

The Divisions of the Regular Army

Please note that these formations were only nominally of the regular army. From the very beginning some non-regular units were required to make up the full establishment and from as early as 1915 the ranks of regular units began to be replenished with "war service only" recruits.

Please note that the British contribution to the mounted forces appears on the Mounted Divisions page.

The first-line Territorial Divisions

Please note that these formations were renamed to have the number designations in 1915. When they first went overseas they were named as, for example, the East Lancashire Division. Some did not go to a recognised theatre of war and are marked in italic text. The West Lancashire and 1st London Divisions re-formed in France by gathering back together many units that had been sent there independently in 1914 and 1915.

The second-line Territorial Divisions

Please note that these formations were only released to go to a theatre of war by the Military Service Act of 1916. Some did not go to a recognised theatre of war and are marked in italic text. Those that are 'missing' from the list remained at home and can be seen on the table below covering home-based Divisions.

Related information

11 November 1918. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig (centre front) with his Army Commanders at Cambrai, left to right behind him, General Sir Herbert Plumer (2nd Army), General Sir Julian Byng (3rd Army), General Sir William Birdwood (5th Army) and General Sir Henry Horne (1st Army), with other senior officers Image courtesy of the Imperial War Museum.

11 November 1920. The unveiling of the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, an "empty tomb" in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the Great War.